1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to break-open type firearms having a top lever that, when rotated from its barrel locking position to its barrel unlocking position, permits the barrel to be rotated from its closed firing position to its open loading position.
2. Prior Art
The break-open type of firearms to which the present invention relates includes, but is not limited to, single and double barrel rifles and shotguns. These firearms have one or more barrels pivotally mounted on the frame of the firearm, the barrel or barrels being rotatable from their closed ready-to-fire position to their open loading and unloading position in the manner known in the art. A barrel lock bolt is mounted on the frame for releasably locking the barrels at their closed position, the lock bolt being movable from its barrel locking position to its barrel unlocking position by means of a top lever that is rotatably mounted on the top of the frame. When the top lever is rotated to its barrel unlocking position, the barrel lock bolt is withdrawn from engagement with the barrels thereby permitting the barrels to be rotated from their closed position to their open position, and when the top lever is rotated to its barrel locking position the barrel lock bolt is moved into engagement with the barrels to lock the barrels at their closed position. A top lever spring urges the top lever and the barrel lock bolt to their barrel locking positions so that the barrels are normally maintained at their closed position.
The top lever is removably mounted on the frame to facilitate cleaning and repair of this and other parts of the mechanism of the firearm. The top lever is commonly retained on the frame by means of a screw or similar part that extends through the top lever to the frame along the vertical axis of rotation of the top lever, the retaining means being secured to the frame by a nut or a threaded hole or the like. Screw type top lever retaining means sometimes become loose due to vibration and shock when the firearm is being fired with consequent possible damage to the firearm or injury to the shooter. In addition, screw type retaining means can become lost or damaged when the firearm is disassembled for cleaning or repair.
We have now devised a significant improvement in the means for retaining the top lever in the frame of break-open type firearms that does away with the need for separate parts for the retainer means, such as the aforementioned screw type retainer. In our new retainer arrangement the top lever is removably retained in the frame solely by virtue of the unique configuration of the top lever and the frame and by the interaction of these parts with each other and with the top lever spring and spring strut of the firearm.